Usage Note: The construction of any has been criticized by usage commentators for being illogical, but it has stood the test of time in respected usage. In our 2009 survey, 75 percent of the Usage Panel accepted it in He is the best known of any living playwright. · When used with the meaning "at all" to modify a verb, the adverb any has an informal ring to it and should probably be avoided in formal writing. In 2009, 70 percent of the Usage Panel rejected the sentences It didn't hurt any and If the baby cries any, give her the bottle.

any

(ˈɛnɪ)

determiner

1.

a. one, some, or several, as specified, no matter how much or many, what kind or quality, etc: any cheese in the cupboard is yours; you may take any clothes you like.

b. (as pronoun; functioning as sing or plural): take any you like.

2. (usually used with a negative)

a. even the smallest amount or even one: I can't stand any noise.

b. (as pronoun; functioning as sing or plural): don't give her any.

3. whatever or whichever; no matter what or which: any dictionary will do; any time of day.

4. an indefinite or unlimited amount or number (esp in the phrases any amount or number): any number of friends.

adv

(usually used with a negative)

a. (foll by a comparative adjective) to even the smallest extent: it isn't any worse now.

b. not standard at all: he doesn't care any.

[Old English ǣnig; related to Old Frisian ēnig, Old High German einag, Old Norse einigr anyone, Latin ūnicus unique; see an1, one]

an•y

(ˈɛn i)

adj.

1. one, a, an, or some; one or more without specification or identification: If you have any witnesses, produce them. Pick out any six you like.

2. whatever or whichever it may be: at any price.

3. in whatever quantity or number, great or small; some: Do you have any butter?

4. every; all: Any schoolchild would know that. Read any books you find on the subject.

5. (following a negative) at all: She can't endure any criticism.

pron.

6. an unspecified person or persons; anybody; anyone: He did better than any before him.

7. a single one or ones; an unspecified thing or things; a quantity or number: We don't have any left.

adv.

8. in whatever degree; to some extent; at all: Do you feel any better?

any - one or some or every or all without specification; "give me any peaches you don't want"; "not any milk is left"; "any child would know that"; "pick any card"; "any day now"; "cars can be rented at almost any airport"; "at twilight or any other time"; "beyond any doubt"; "need any help we can get"; "give me whatever peaches you don't want"; "no milk whatsoever is left"

some - quantifier; used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity; "have some milk"; "some roses were still blooming"; "having some friends over"; "some apples"; "some paper"

Adv.

1.

any - to any degree or extent; "it isn't any better"

any

adjective

1.a scrap of, a bit of, a grain of, a fragment of, a small piece of, a speck of, the slightest bit of, a crumb of, an atom of, an iota of, a jot of, NE(S.M.S.)We're doing all this without any support.

2.whichever, every, NE(S.M.S.)Any actor will tell you that it's easier to act than to be themselves.

determinera single one, any one, a single member, NE(S.M.S.)There was nothing any of us could do.

4. (= no matter which) → cualquierany teacher will tell you → te lo dirá cualquier profesorbring me any (old) book → tráeme un libro cualquierabuy any two tins of soup and get one free → por cada dos latas de sopa cualesquiera que compre le regalamos otrawear any hat (you like) → ponte el sombrero que quierashe's not just any violinist → no es un violinista cualquieratake any one you like → tome cualquiera, tomeel que quierait could have happened to any one of us → le podría haber pasado a cualquiera de nosotrosit's much like any other seaside resort → es muyparecido a cualquier otro sitiocosterocome at any time → ven cuando quieraswe can cater for up to 300 guests at any one time → podemos proveer hasta a 300invitados en cada ocasiónany person whoorthat breaks the rules will be punished → se castigará a toda persona que no acate las reglassee alsodayA1see alsominute1see alsomoment1see alsocaseA3see alsorateA2

When any refers to a plural noun, it is either left untranslated or, for greater emphasis, translated using ningún/ninguna in the singular:

"did you buy the oranges?" - "no, there weren't any" → ¿compraste (las) naranjas? -no, no había or no teníanshe has two brothers but I haven't got any → tiene dos hermanos pero yo no tengo ningunoI don't like any of them → no me gusta ningunoI don't believe any of them has done it → no creo que lo haya hecho ninguno de ellosBUT he hasn't done any of his homework → no ha hecho nada de deberes

3. (in conditional constructions) if any of you knows how to drive → si alguno de vosotros sabeconducirfew, if any, survived → pocos, si alguno, sobrevivió

4. (= no matter which) → cualquieraany of those books will do → cualquiera de esos librosserviráit's better than any of his other films → es mejor que cualquiera de sus otras películas

C.ADVERB

1. (in questions) would you like any more soup? → ¿quieres mássopa?is he any better? → ¿está (algo) mejor?

2. (with negative)don't wait any longer → no esperesmás (tiempo)I don't love him any more → ya no le quieroI couldn't do that any more than I could fly → yo puedo hacer eso tanto como volarthe room didn't look any too clean → la habitación no parecíamuylimpia

any

[ˈɛni]

adj

(in questions, singular) → du, de l', de la; (plural) → desDo you have any butter? → Avez-vous du beurre?Do you have any ink? → Avez-vous de l'encre?Would you like any bread? → Voulez-vous du pain?Would you like any beer? → voulez-vous de labière?Have you got any mineral water? → avez-vous de l'eau minérale?Have you got any children? → avez-vous des enfants?

(= no matter which) → jede(r, s) (beliebige …); (with pl or uncountable n) → alle; any one will do → es ist jede(r, s) recht; any excuse will do → jede Entschuldigung ist recht; you can have any book/books you can find → du kannst jedes Buch/alle Bücher haben, das/die du finden kannst; take any two dresses → nehmen Sie zwei beliebigeKleider; any one you like → was du willst; any one of us would have done the same → jeder von uns hätte dasselbe getan; you can’t just come at any time → du kannst nichteinfach zu jeder beliebigen Zeit kommen; you can come at any time → du kannst jederzeitkommen; thank you — any time → danke! — bitte!; any time soon → irgendwannbald; any fool could do that → das kann jedes Kind; any old …(inf) → jede(r, s) x-beliebige …(inf) ?old

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